Saudi trims oil supply as Opec sees softer outlook

Vienna, June 12, 2012

Opec said on Tuesday the global oil supply and demand balance could ease further in the second half of the year due in part to a slowing global economy, and top producer Saudi Arabia was already trimming its output.

'Signs appear to be showing that the global economy is slowing further,' the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) said in a monthly report. Opec meets to set policy on Thursday.

'The second half of the year could see a further easing in fundamentals, despite seasonally higher demand.'

Opec cited factors including a slowing world economy, downside risks to demand such as from higher US gasoline prices and supply performing well in non-member countries, supported by growth in the United States.

The report said demand for Opec oil would average 30.74 million barrels per day in the second half of the year, unchanged from its previous forecast.

Opec is pumping much more than the demand for its crude and some members including Venezuela are expected to call at Thursday's meeting for the group to lower supplies to prop up prices.

In May, Opec produced 31.58 million bpd according to secondary sources cited by the report, 58,000 bpd less than in April but still 1.58 million bpd more than Opec's supply target of 30 million bpd.